The Autumn Court
The Autumn Court 'Basic Information' Monarch: Honest John (Missing) Center of Power: The Exploratorium Hollows: *The Grim Library *The Burning Arbor *Numerous small holdings Court Focus: Magic and Arcane Forces Freehold Role: *Research and Arcane Support *Formerly the source of Magistrates for the Judicry 'Court History' The Autumn Court has always been a potent force in the Freehold of Gold and Iron. The Court has traditionally been a powerful stabalizing influence, often going to great lengths to make sure that the other Great Courts respect the change of seasons and the passing of rulership. The Autumn Court in San Francisco tends to select the Changeling to sit on their throne through group consensus, allowing that Changeling to sit on the throne until they step down. When selecting a new monarch, if the Court cannot come to a mutual decision, it is well documented that Autumn itself will select the Changeling that most aligns with the season's current goals to sit on the throne. It is possible for the monarch of Autumn to be thrown down by force through a challenge posed by another courtier. Only one such challenge is permitted per Autumnal season, and it must occur at the very start of monarch's rule. The king or queen is, of course, granted the right to select the form that the challenge will take, though it is almost invariably a sorcerous duel. As the ruler of Autumn is always invariably a frightfully potent sorcerer this is almost always a losing prospect at best. The Court was founded by the nearly mythical True Thomas, whose inital rule of the season set the course for the modern Court. Interestingly every Autumn Monarch since Thomas has earned a reuputation for honesty, with most eventually losing the ability to lie entirely. None are certain why this is. 'The Court Today' Currently the Autumn Court exists in a state of fractious chaos in the wake of Honest John's disapearance. Courtier's have divided themselves into factions based on who they feel is best suited to take the throne. Though Autumn is still far away, tensions are steadily growing as an unprecedented level of backstabbing and scheming runs rampant through the court. Many assume it is only a matter of time before tensions boil over into civil war. Though fractured, Autumn still represents one of the most powerful factors in the city. The Court of Fear holds the most powerful Hollows in the city, has a powerful center of influence, numerous courtiers who are both magically potent and well connected. Though they would be loathe to admit it, most of the other courts realize that if Autumn went berserk, the they are ill prepared to rein them in. 'Autumn Orders' Autumn recognizes the following areas of specialization in its Courtiers. *Word Binders: Skilled wielders of language who specialize in magic bound up in pledges and agreements. *Sorcerers: Arcanists who pursue power mainly through understanding and manipulating the raw forces of the Wyrd through Contracts. *Artisans: Those who specialize in the catalogue, obtainment, and creation of tokens, items, and automatons as a route to power. *Greenskeepers: Magi who specialize in the use and application of goblin fruits, trifles, and occasionally Hobs found in the hedge. *Harvestmen: Soldiers and trained combatants skilled in weapons and sorceries. Least numerous of the Orders. 'Autumn Factions' Autumn was once one of the most unified of the Courts in the Freehold, what factions existed within it were little more than idle social groups or those with common research interests. With Honest John's vanishing act however, three major power groups have emerged in an attempt to steer the future of the Court. *Illuminated Autumn: Have rallied around the young but idealistic Wizened Benji Sato as the ideal candidate to take the throne. Though the least influential faction currently, it is a tightly knit group who believe strongly that Benji's optimism and good intentions can be the balm that saves the Court. This means that while they lack raw power, this faction worries much less about internal plots, betrayals, or hidden internal agendas. Illuminated Autumn Embraces the idea of the season as a time of plenty and preparation, the recognize the place of fear in the season, but refuse to believe that it should be the Court's sole defining factor. In this way their philosophy cleaves closely to Honest John's own ideology and the Court's historical roots. *Webbed Autumn: Believe that the Court would best be ruled by the potent and influential Autumn Witch Mommy Long Legs. By far the most powerful faction currently, if only because the others fear moving openly against the powerful and openly insane Mommy. Those who belong to this faction believe that Mommy's power and ability to spread fear will give the court the needed power and influence to ride out the strife that they see coming. Mommy and her adherents believe deeply that fear is the strongest defining feature of the season, and that it should be spread heavily and widely, whether this is done through hideous violent crime or a rumor campaign is of no consequence, and ideally both methods should be employed. This faction also enjoys the support of the powerful and secretive Scarecrow Ministry, a fearful noble entitlement in the Autumn Court. Mommy ascending to the throne would signal a fearful change in the nature of the Court in the freehold, though many realize that if nothing is done, it will likely be she that Autumn itself would crown. *Haunted Autumn: By far the most passive and silent of the three factions, Haunted Autumn believes that the only rightful ruler of Autumn at this time is Honest John and that he should be returned to his throne. Though they lack influence due to not directly participating in the powerplays happening between the other two factions, many of those who claim memberhip are some of the most powerful changelings in the court. The largest part of their power is being directed to keeping the Court from turning on itself and desperately trying to locate Honest John. It is commonly accepted that if this faction could be convinced to side with one of the other two, it would ensure victory for the one it chose.